VIDEO: Opening Day Report

'09 SESSION UNDERWAY

BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT ON JOBS PLAN, BUT HEALTH CARE COULD AGAIN BE CONTENTIOUS

WATCH THE KY3 NEWS @ 5 REPORT HERE

PLUS: AP NEWSALERT: NIXON CANS 150 WORKERS

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Gov.-elect Jay Nixon issued pink slips to about 150 state employees Wednesday, ending their jobs the moment he takes office next week.

The termination letters were sent primarily to employees in Cabinet-level, senior staff or policy-making positions, said Nixon spokesman Oren Shur.

In December, Nixon's gubernatorial transition team sent letters to about 600 employees whose jobs were not covered by the state merit system. Those letters asked employees to either justify their jobs or lose them.

Employees were directed to submit their resumes and cover letters through an Internet site. The Web site also asked them to describe their current job duties, their qualifications and "the importance of your current position to the mission of your agency."

Shur said Wednesday that Nixon's transition team reviewed all the applications of employees wanting to keep their jobs before sending out the termination letters.

"Gov.-elect Nixon is building a team of highly qualified public servants who share his priorities to help bring about the change Missourians voted for last November," Shur said in an e-mailed statement. "So beginning next Monday, some of the state employees who serve at the pleasure of the outgoing governor will be replaced. Other positions will be consolidated or eliminated altogether in order to make government more efficient during these difficult economic times."

Among those who had reapplied for her job before being fired Wednesday was Connie Patterson, the spokeswoman for the Department of Natural Resources.

As attorney general, Nixon clashed frequently with outgoing DNR Director Doyle Childers and some of his top staff. But Patterson had served in various public information roles in the department for about 17 years under multiple governors, both Democratic and Republican.

Patterson said about 20 department employees received Nixon's termination letters.

"I certainly understand this is the authority of the governor to do this," Patterson said, but "I will miss the department and the work we do."

Nixon said in an interview Tuesday that he also intends to rescind scores of appointments made by Blunt that would otherwise be awaiting Senate confirmation. Some people may get re-nominated by Nixon but many others will not.

"I would expect that a new day will be noticeable," Nixon said.

Barnitz: Don't Buy Talk of Surplus, New Jobs

"I’m getting tired of hearing politicians brag about all of the new quality jobs created. The facts say otherwise."

Sen. Frank Barnitz said the next time you hear a Missouri politician talk about a "budget surplus" or "all the new quality jobs," don't believe them.

In his weekly column to constituents, Barnitz said that the reason Missouri pols claim a budget surplus is because millions of dollars has been withheld from programs.

"The fact is there was no budget surplus. There was money withheld from programs. We have used much of that to fill the need of funding the shortfalls or neglectful budgeting by departments. Now we’re being asked to find $200 million in budget cuts this year," Sen. Barnitz said.

Barnitz also points to numbers provided by the Bureau of Labor that show a troubling economic picture in Missouri. From January 2007 to January 2008, Missouri's unemployment rate rose to 5.5%, compared to the national unemployment rate of 4.8%.

Barnitz also notes The Bureau of Labor Statistics finds Missouri has lost 16,700 manufacturing jobs since January of 2005.

"Frankly, I’m getting tired of hearing politicians brag about all of the new quality jobs created. The facts say otherwise," Barnitz said.

Of Seniors and Soldiers

Legislation that would allow combat veterans who served after September 11th to go to college at a cheaper rate has been approved by the state Senate and is now being discussed in the House.

Sen. Frank Barnitz said Senate Bill 830, would allow post 9-11 soldiers to take classes at state higher education facilities in Missouri for $50 a credit hour.

Sen. Jack Goodman of Mt. Vernon announced that two of his legislative priorities are moving forward. One is SB 767, a "measure that offers relief to Missouri’s overextended public defender system", according to Goodman's office. The Judiciary Committee approved this bill last week, and is now moving to the full Senate.

Also, a measure that would increase the amount of money seniors can have in nursing homes has cleared the Seniors, Families and Public Health Committee. Goodman calls SB 990, a modest but important bill. It increases from $30 to $50 the amount of money seniors living in nursing homes and receiving benefits can have on hand. The Senate will hear the bill next.

Sloca Says LeVota "Wrong on Request"

Missouri Republican Party spokesperson Paul Sloca says House Democratic Minority Leader Paul LeVota is mischaracterizing the G.O.P's Sunshine request of more than a dozen state lawmakers.

In an e-mail to the KY3 Political Notebook, Sloca said the request "asks only for three years of e-mails."

Details on the request he's referring to can be read two posts down, or by clicking HERE.

"The request is for all emails as second sentence of second paragraph clearly points out. Obviously, the representative didn’t read the request very closely," Sloca said in his e-mail to me.

Sloca has included Springfield Rep. Sara Lampe in his request as well as Rolla State Senator Frank Barnitz.

The Sunshine request reads, "I am requesting all documents from your office or any other documents in your custody, control, or possession responsive to this request. I am requesting copies of all emails sent by or to you by or to your staff, deleted or undeleted, within the last three years or whenever you were sworn into office, whichever is earlier."